WestoWeston students face new 'Challenge'

Published 8:00 pm, Wednesday, April 2, 2008

NORWALK -- Following their first-round victory, the academic team from Weston High School is moving on to the second round in "The Challenge," an academic quiz show designed to test students' knowledge in a Jeopardy-style format.

The second round matchup between Weston High School and Greenwich High School will air exclusively on News 12 Connecticut at 6:30 pm and 9:30 pm on Saturday, April 5, with an encore airing the very next night, Sunday, April 6, at 6:30 pm and 9:30 pm. The Challenge, hosted by News 12 Connecticut Anchor Tom Appleby, can also be viewed anytime through the convenience of video on demand (VOD) through News 12 Interactive, located on iO TV channel 612.

"Both the competition and pressure increase in this second round of The Challenge, but the contestants have honed their skills and are now primed to perform, "said Trent Anderson, Cablevision's vice president of Education. "Cablevision and Power to Learn, Cablevision's education initiative, are delighted to partner with tri-state high schools to showcase some of the region's most academically talented students in an exciting, entertaining television show. We wish Weston High School and Greenwich High School good luck in round two."

For the first time in its 11-year history, The Challenge includes schools and students from Westchester/ Hudson Valley region and The Bronx and Brooklyn, in addition to Long Island, New Jersey, and Connec-ticut. More than 735 students representing 147 tri-state area high schools are participating this season.

Representing Weston High School are Alyssa Bowie, Olivia Chase, Jason Kaye and Will Weiss, the team captain, and Teddy Saltz ,team alternate. The team's academic advisors are Ed Kaufman and Dan Passarelli.

As this season of The Challenge progresses, schools will vie each week to continue on in the competition, which ultimately results in the best teams from each region facing off against each other next spring. Regional champions will then compete for the ultimate title, Tri-State Challenge Champion. The winning team in each region will receive $2,500 and go on to compete for $10,000 in the Tri-State Championship. Each student participating in the championship match will receive $500.

The Challenge is an important element of Cablevision's education initiative, Power to Learn, the company's ongoing commitment to the development and learning of students in the tri-state area. Earlier this year, the show received a Beacon Award - the industry's highest award for public-affairs excellence, as well as a New England Cable & Telecommunications (NECTA) Award for Public Service and Excellence in Cable Television.

More information on The Challenge, including standings, statistics and short contestant bios, is available on www.powertolearn.com.